Childcare in Adelaide
There are 997 approved childcare services in the Adelaide urban area: 419 offer long day care, 284 run a kindergarten or preschool program and 347 offer before and after school care. 19% of rated services are Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, against 18% nationally.
Highest-rated suburbs
Suburbs with at least 5 rated services, ranked by the share rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent.
| Suburb | Rated services | Exceeding or Excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Enfield | 5 | 3 (60%) |
| Paradise | 9 | 5 (56%) |
| Modbury North | 6 | 3 (50%) |
| Two Wells | 6 | 3 (50%) |
| Lockleys | 7 | 3 (43%) |
| Craigmore | 5 | 2 (40%) |
| Christies Beach | 5 | 2 (40%) |
| Evanston | 5 | 2 (40%) |
| Newton | 6 | 2 (33%) |
| Pooraka | 6 | 2 (33%) |
How the ratings work: National Quality Standard ratings explained.
Types of care in Adelaide
| Type of care | Services in Adelaide |
|---|---|
| Long day care | 419 |
| Kindergarten or preschool program | 284 |
| Family day care schemes | 5 |
| Before and after school care | 347 |
| Vacation care | 322 |
Services that offer more than one type of care are counted once for each. Family day care is counted by scheme, not by educator.
What childcare costs in Adelaide
The Department of Education publishes fees by state, not by city. Long day care in South Australia averaged $14.10 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $141 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. What a family pays after the subsidy depends on income:
| Family income | Subsidy rate | Daily gap fee |
|---|---|---|
| $80,000 | 90% | $14 |
| $120,000 | 84% | $23 |
| $180,000 | 72% | $39 |
For a 10-hour day at the South Australia average fee, one child under school age, before the 5% of the subsidy that is withheld until the year is balanced. Work out your own with the CCS calculator, or see childcare fees by state.
All suburbs in Adelaide
- Aberfoyle Park 7
- Adelaide 17
- Albert Park 1
- Aldgate 4
- Aldinga 8
- Aldinga Beach 6
- Allenby Gardens 3
- Andrews Farm 2
- Angle Park 2
- Angle Vale 13
- Athelstone 6
- Banksia Park 3
- Bedford Park 3
- Belair 6
- Bellevue Heights 2
- Beulah Park 1
- Beverley 1
- Birkenhead 2
- Black Forest 2
- Blackwood 6
- Blair Athol 5
- Blakeview 9
- Bowden 1
- Brahma Lodge 2
- Bridgewater 2
- Brighton 3
- Broadview 2
- Brompton 3
- Brooklyn Park 5
- Burnside 1
- Burton 3
- Camden Park 3
- Campbelltown 2
- Cheltenham 1
- Christie Downs 4
- Christies Beach 5
- Clapham 2
- Clarence Gardens 1
- Clarence Park 2
- Clearview 1
- College Park 1
- Collinswood 2
- Colonel Light Gardens 3
- Coromandel Valley 3
- Cowandilla 3
- Crafers 1
- Craigmore 6
- Croydon Park 4
- Cumberland Park 2
- Davoren Park 3
- Daw Park 2
- Dernancourt 1
- Dover Gardens 2
- Eastwood 2
- Echunga 2
- Eden Hills 4
- Edwardstown 1
- Elizabeth 1
- Elizabeth Downs 2
- Elizabeth East 2
- Elizabeth Grove 3
- Elizabeth North 3
- Elizabeth Park 2
- Elizabeth South 2
- Elizabeth Vale 3
- Enfield 5
- Erindale 1
- Ethelton 1
- Evandale 1
- Evanston 5
- Evanston Gardens 2
- Evanston Park 2
- Evanston South 2
- Eyre 1
- Fairview Park 5
- Felixstow 2
- Findon 3
- Fitzroy 1
- Flagstaff Hill 5
- Flinders Park 3
- Fulham 1
- Fulham Gardens 1
- Fullarton 3
- Gawler 3
- Gawler East 4
- Gawler South 2
- Gilles Plains 5
- Glandore 1
- Glen Osmond 2
- Glenalta 1
- Glenelg 3
- Glenelg East 3
- Glenelg North 4
- Glengowrie 1
- Glenside 2
- Glynde 1
- Golden Grove 10
- Goodwood 6
- Grange 3
- Greenacres 4
- Greenwith 3
- Gulfview Heights 1
- Hackham 3
- Hackham West 3
- Hackney 1
- Hahndorf 5
- Hallett Cove 9
- Happy Valley 7
- Hawthorn 2
- Hawthorndene 3
- Hazelwood Park 1
- Hectorville 3
- Henley Beach 4
- Henley Beach South 1
- Hewett 3
- Highbury 2
- Highgate 4
- Hillbank 1
- Hillcrest 4
- Holden Hill 2
- Hope Valley 7
- Hove 4
- Huntfield Heights 3
- Hyde Park 1
- Ingle Farm 8
- Kensington 4
- Kensington Gardens 1
- Kensington Park 3
- Kent Town 1
- Keswick 1
- Kidman Park 4
- Kilburn 2
- Kilkenny 1
- Kingswood 3
- Klemzig 4
- Kurralta Park 1
- Largs Bay 1
- Largs North 1
- Lightsview 2
- Linden Park 2
- Litlehampton 1
- Littlehampton 3
- Lobethal 2
- Lockleys 7
- Macclesfield 1
- Magill 7
- Malvern 2
- Manningham 1
- Mansfield Park 1
- Marden 1
- Marino 1
- Marion 7
- Marleston 1
- Marryatville 2
- Mawson Lakes 8
- Maylands 1
- Mclaren Flat 1
- Mclaren Vale 5
- Medindie 2
- Melrose Park 2
- Mile End 2
- Mitcham 3
- Mitchell Park 1
- Modbury 6
- Modbury Heights 2
- Modbury North 6
- Morphett Vale 30
- Morphettville 2
- Mount Barker 16
- Mt Barker 2
- Munno Para 5
- Munno Para West 3
- Mylor 1
- Myrtle Bank 2
- Nailsworth 2
- Nairne 3
- Netley 1
- New Port 1
- Newton 6
- Noarlunga Centre 2
- Noarlunga Downs 3
- North Adelaide 5
- North Brighton 1
- North Haven 3
- North Plympton 1
- Northfield 3
- Northgate 1
- Norton Summit 1
- Norwood 7
- Novar Gardens 2
- O'halloran Hill 2
- O'sullivan Beach 4
- Oakbank 2
- Oaklands Park 1
- Old Noarlunga 1
- Old Reynella 3
- One Tree Hill 2
- Osborne 1
- Ottoway 2
- Panorama 1
- Para Hills 6
- Para Hills West 4
- Para Vista 6
- Paradise 9
- Parafield Gardens 10
- Parafield Gdns 1
- Paralowie 9
- Park Holme 2
- Parkholme 1
- Parkside 3
- Pasadena 3
- Payneham 2
- Payneham South 1
- Penfield 1
- Pennington 4
- Plympton 6
- Pooraka 6
- Port Adelaide 4
- Port Noarlunga 2
- Port Noarlunga South 3
- Prospect 13
- Queenstown 2
- Redwood Park 5
- Renown Park 1
- Reynella 6
- Reynella East 2
- Richmond 1
- Ridgehaven 3
- Rose Park 3
- Rosewater 1
- Roseworthy 3
- Rostrevor 2
- Royal Park 3
- Salisbury 7
- Salisbury Downs 7
- Salisbury East 6
- Salisbury Heights 4
- Salisbury North 5
- Salisbury Park 2
- Seacliff 4
- Seacombe Gardens 3
- Seacombe Heights 1
- Seaford 6
- Seaford Heights 2
- Seaford Meadows 2
- Seaford Risa 1
- Seaford Rise 2
- Seaton 3
- Seaview Downs 3
- Sefton Park 1
- Semaphore 2
- Semaphore Park 3
- Sheidow Park 6
- Smithfield 2
- Smithfield Plains 4
- Somerton Park 3
- South Brighton 1
- South Plympton 7
- Springfield 1
- St Agnes 5
- St Clair 1
- St Georges 1
- St Marys 2
- St Morris 1
- St Peters 3
- Stepney 4
- Stirling 8
- Stonyfell 2
- Sturt 2
- Surrey Downs 3
- Taperoo 6
- Tatachilla 1
- Tea Tree Gully 4
- Thebarton 2
- Torrensville 3
- Tranmere 1
- Trinity Gardens 2
- Trott Park 1
- Tusmore 1
- Two Wells 7
- Underdale 3
- Unley 6
- Uraidla 2
- Urrbrae 2
- Vale Park 2
- Valley View 2
- Verdun 2
- Virginia 4
- Walkerville 4
- Walkley Heights 1
- Warradale 5
- Wattle Park 1
- Wayville 4
- Welland 1
- West Beach 3
- West Croydon 2
- West Hindmarsh 2
- West Lakes 3
- West Lakes Shore 2
- Westbourne Park 2
- Willaston 1
- Willunga 4
- Windsor Gardens 4
- Woodcroft 5
- Woodforde 2
- Woodside 2
- Woodville 4
- Woodville Gardens 4
- Woodville North 2
- Woodville Park 3
- Woodville South 1
- Woodville West 2
- Wynn Vale 9
Frequently asked questions
How many childcare centres are there in Adelaide?
There are 997 approved childcare services in the Adelaide urban area, including 419 that offer long day care and 347 that offer before and after school care. Many services offer more than one type of care.
How much does childcare cost in Adelaide?
Long day care in South Australia averaged $14.10 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $141 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. A family earning $120,000 pays about $23 a day after the subsidy. Fees vary by centre, so check each service directly.
How many Adelaide childcare services are rated Exceeding?
181 of the 967 rated services in Adelaide (19%) are rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, compared with 18% across Australia.
Which Adelaide suburbs have the most childcare?
Morphett Vale (30), Adelaide (17) and Mount Barker (16) have the most approved services in Adelaide.
Services and ratings: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026. City boundary: ABS Significant Urban Area (Adelaide), ASGS Edition 3 (2021), matched to services by postcode. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026.